Steyer may target Dems in California

Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer said he might spend money against Democratic candidates as part of his plan to pour at least $1 million in California state races this year.

Steyer told the Sacramento Bee that in races involving two Democrats, he could fund voter registration and turnout initiatives to support candidates that back environmental policies.

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“There’s nothing, you know, in our bylaws that I’ve read that says we can’t get involved in D-on-D races, and we have,” Steyer told the newspaper.

Steyer unsuccessfully pushed for California to put a new tax on oil extraction, and also backed a law that would have required two-thirds of a county’s voters to approve before any hydraulic fracturing takes place in the county.

He did not say what races he would get involved in through his NextGen Climate group. Nationally, his goal for the group is to spend $100 million this year to support pro-environment candidates.

Thus far, NextGen is only involved in Senate and gubernatorial races, supporting Democrats or opposing Republicans in all of them.

The oil tax fight in California is part of a larger rift between Steyer and the oil industry. Oil interests are also pushing against measures that would cap their greenhouse gas emissions, measures that Steyer supports.